Refrigerator car



June 10g 1941. K. E. zl-:lDLER REFRIGERATOR GAR Filed March '7, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 inventa idler Kuri' ECZe June 1o, 1941. K E. zElDLE'R 2,244,820

REFRIGERATOR CAR Filed uarpn 7, 1940 2 sheets-sheet 2 [nl/enfer: Kuri E. Zez'alef r f/ l n,

H'i'arnefy I Patented June 10, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 11 Claims.

This Vinvention relates to refrigerator cars used to 'transport perishable commodities at a predetermined temperature. The essential features of a refrigerator car are an insulated body to prevent or retard ingress of heat during warm weather and egress of heat during cold weather, a cooling means and a heating means to be used during warm and cold weather respectively, and Ventilating means to supply air from outside the car during the transporting of certain types of commodities.

This invention applies particularly to cars in which the cooling means, preferably containers for Water ice, eutectic ice, brine or dry ice, are disposed immediately below the roof of the car. The lading is supported in spaced relation to the oor by a foraminous rack. Flues, preferably associated with the side walls of the car, communieate ybetween the cooling means and the space under the floor rack to provide a path for `theicirculationof air. The path during Arefrigeration is from the cooling means downwardly through the aforementioned ilues, through the space under the floor rack, upwardly through the lading compartment thereby cooling the lading, and finally to the cooling means from where the cycle is repeated.

Many commodities, such as potatoes and melons, can be transported safely at any temperature within a relatively Wide range and, therefore, ydo not require either heating or refrigeration at certain seasons of the year. Some commodities including many types of fresh fruits and vegetables, give off heat of respiration during the ripening thereof. In either of these cases it is desirable to circulate fresh air from outside the car in close contact with the commodity to carry away the heat of respiration, thereby preventing excessively high temperatures With subsequent spoilage. Ventilated box cars are often used for this purpose, particularly in the southern 'hereinbefore described.

The hatch `plugs or hatch covers of overhead bunker refrigerator cars are often partially open so `as .to catch air moving exterior of the car and'direct said air into the refrigerant container. The Ventilating `means `which Iprovide directs the above mentioned air into the lading compartment of the car. Rain or snow may also be trapped by the raised hatch cover and injected into the refrigerant containers. An object of `my invention is to permit the ow of air from the refrigerant container into the lading compartment and to prevent the .entrance of the abovementioned rain or snow into the lading compartment.

Often during a trip of a refrigerator car it is necessary to cease refrigerating the car and to start Ventilating. In such cases the refrigerant containers usually have a certain amount of liquid retained therein, which liquid Vis liable to splash from the refrigerant container through the Ventilating apertures into the lading `compartment of the car. ,A further object of my invention is the provision of means to prevent the splashing of such liquid into the lading compartment.

Another object is to provide means for returning to the refrigerant container the liquid which is trapped by the Ventilating means.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following detailed description by referring to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a partial transverse section of a refrigerator car embodying my invention, taken on line I-I of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the refrigerant container of Fig. 1 as indicated by the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3.is a partial plan section through the refrigerant container of Fig. y1 as indicated `by the lyine 3-3 of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to the upper part of Fig. 1 showing a modified construction, taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 5,

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

The general parts of the refrigerator car shown are insulated roof 2; side Wall 3; floor li; hatch 5; refrigerant container 6; side w'all flue l; foraminous iioor rack 8 and space 9 between rack S and floor 4. A refrigerant container 6 is positioned directly below the roof 2 and adjacent the side Wall 3. A drip pan I2 is provided below the container 6 and a partition I4 is disposed in an upstanding position at the edge of the Ydrip pan I2. The drip pan I2 and partition I4 cooperate With the roof 2 and side wall 3 to form an enclosing structure I I around the container 6, an air :inlet opening I5 being provided by spacing the partition I4 from the roof 2. An iair discharge opening I1 which leads to the flue I is formed by spacing the drip pan I2 from the wall 3. Cars of this type commonly have a row of refrigerant containers 6 near each side wall 3 and spaced apart at the center of the car. The partitions I4 are also spaced apart to form a duct I6 which communicates between the lading compartment I8 and openings I5.

Air circulation is as follows: Air in the lading compartment I8 is warmed by contact with the lading and rises to enter the enclosing structure II through the duct I6 and the air inlet openings I5. The air is cooled by contact with the 'refrigerant containers 6 and falls by reason of its greater density through the discharge openings I'I and i'lues 'I to the space 9 whence it rises through the rack 8 to the lading compartment I8.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 3, a trough 20 is associated with ea-ch of the opposite side walls 2|, 23 of the container 6 and is formed by a channel member 24 disposed within the container 6 with its web vertical 26 and the free edges of its flanges 2'I secured to one of the container walls 2l, 23. The construction shown in Fig. 1 is preferable, but my invention also includes the provision of such a trough 20 on either the wall 2|, the wall 23 or any other Wall of the container 6. For convenience, reference will be made hereinafter to the trough associated with the wall 23. Apertures 29 are provided in the web 26 of the channel 24, which constitutes a side of the trough 2U, and other apertures 3i! are provided in a part of the container wall 23, which constitutes the other side of the trough 20, the apertures in the opposite sides of the trough being unaligned (see Fig. 2) so as to prevent the passage of moisture, such as rain, snow or liquids fromn the interior of the container. The unaligned apertures 29, 33 permit the ready passage of air which' enters through the hatch 5 and iiows through the trough 23 and into the lading compartment I8 of the car, as indicated by the solid arrows 32 in Figs. 1 and 3. Liquid which splashes or flows through the apertures 29 in the web 26 `of the channel is stopped by the unapertured parts 35 of the container wall 23 and deflected to the bottom part of the trough 20, from where it is drained into the container 6 through the relatively small apertures 33 in the lower part of the trough 2B, as indicated by the dotted arrows 36.

In the modication shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the troughs 4|] are formed by the-channel members 4I having their webs 43 vertical and disposed outside the container 6 and the free edges of their flanges 44 secured to the container walls 48, 41. The operation of this arrangement of the Ventilating means is similar to that hereinabove described in reference to-Figs. 1 to 3 in that flow of air is permitted from the hatch to the lading compartment I8 of the car, whereas the ow of liquid in the same path is prevented as hereinabove described and the liquid is returned to the container 8 through the relatively small apertures 49 in the lower part of the trough 40. In o-rder to prevent diagonal splashing of liquid through both the apertures ED-in the container wall 4T and the apertures 5I in the channel web 43, I preferably provide marginal anges 53 on some or all of the apertures. These flanges may be substantially peripheral (5d), as shown at the left part of Fig. 5, or may be provided only on the vertical edges ofthe apertures (56), as shown at the right part of Fig. 5.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the preferred form of the invention, though it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modications thereof, within the scope of the claims, will occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In arefrigerator car having a lading compartment and a roof, a refrigerant container below the roof, a hatch in the roof leading to the interior of said container, means including a trough arranged to form a side of said container, said trough having spaced apart sides, apertures in one side of said trough leading to the interior of said container, and apertures in the other side of said trough leading to said lading compartment in unaligned relation with the first mentioned apertures.

2. In a refrigerator car having a lading compartment and a roof, a refrigerant container below the roof, a hatch in the roof leading to the interior of said container, means including a trough arranged to form a side of said container, said trough having spaced apart sides, relatively large apertures in one side of said trough leading tp theginterior of said container, relatively large apertures in the other side of said trough leading to said lading compartment in unaligned relation with the first menti-cned apertures, and relatively small openings in the lower part of said trough leading to the interior of said container.

3. In a refrigerator car having a lading oompartment and a roof, a refrigerant container below the roof, a hatch in the roof leading to the interior of said container, means including a trough arranged to form a side of said container, said trough having spaced apart sides, apertures in one side of said trough leading to the interior of said container and relatively large apertures in the other side of said trough leading to said lading compartment in unaligned relation with the first mentioned apertures, some of said apertures having marginal flanges which project into said trough.

4. In a refrigerator car having a lading compartment and a roof, a refrigerant `container below the roof, a hatch in the roof leading to the interior of said container, means including a trough arranged to form a side of said container, said trough having spaced apart sides, apertures in one side of said trough leading to the interior of said container and relatively large apertures in the other side of said trough leading to said lading compartment in unaligned relation with the first mentioned apertures, the vertical edges oi' some of said apertures having marginal anges which project into said trough.

5. In a refrigerator car having a lading compartment and a roof, a refrigerant container below the roof, a hatch in the roof leading to the interior of said container, means including a trough arranged to form a side of said container, said trough having spaced apart sides, apertures in one side of said trough leading to the interior of said container, apertures in the other side of said trough leading to said lading compartment in unaligned relation with the first mentioned apertures and openings in the lower part of said trough leading to the interior of said container.

6. A structure as defined in claim 1 wherein the rst mentioned side of the trough is common with apart of a container wall.

'7. A structure as dened in claim 1 wherein the second mentioned side of the trough is common with a part of a container wall.

8. A structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said trough is formed by a channel member having the web substantially vertical and the free edges of the flanges secured to a container wall.

9. A structure as dened in claim l wherein said trough is formed by an angular member having an outstanding leg secured to a container Wall, and an upstanding leg spaced therefrom.

10. A refrigerant container adapted for use in a refrigerator car wherein one side of said container is formed by a structure which includes a horizontally extending and upwardly opening trough having spaced apart sides, apertures in one of said trough sides leading to the interior of the container, and apertures in the other of said trough sides leading to the exterior of the container in unaligned relation with the rst mentioned apertures.

l1. A refrigerant container adapted for use in a refrigerator car wherein one side of said container is formed by a structure which includes a pair of spaced apart members, apertures in one of said members leading tothe interior of the container and apertures in the other of said members leading to the exterior of the container in unaligned relation with the first mentioned apertures.

KURT E. ZEIDLER. 

